Method of threading an elongated cord through an elongate internal passageway of a wearable article

ABSTRACT

A threading instrument for sliding an elongated cord or drawstring through an elongated internal passageway of a wearable article, and a method of using the same is provided. The present invention incorporates the threading instrument in a kit along with a plurality of different design drawstrings. In the kit, each drawstring is adapted to be threaded through the elongated internal passageway by way of the threading instrument. The kit enables a user to more efficiently than the prior art to interchange the drawstrings through the elongated internal passageway of the wearable article, thereby enabling an expeditious and selectively swap out of the drawstring, whereby they can use the different drawstrings to convey different messages/moods when desired.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods of accessorizing articles of clothing and, more particularly, a method of threading an elongated cord through an elongated internal passageway of a wearable article.

Threading an elongated cord or drawstring through an elongated internal passageway of an article of clothing, especially the channel associated with upper garments with hoods (colloquially known as “hoodies”) can be tedious, time-consuming, and prohibitively frustrating.

Thus, losing the drawstrings can be a death sentence for the hoodie, unless the user chooses to wear the garment without the drawstring (which is a critical component of the article's aesthetic, and also functions to tighten the face-opening of the hood), buy a new hoodie, or borrow another drawstring or devise a makeshift drawstring and suffer through the aforementioned frustration of threading the drawstring through the elongated internal passageway of the hoodie.

Additionally, as social distancing and mask-wearing imposed by COVID-19 restrictions has taught, non-verbal expression is something to be valued and promoted. Accordingly, the inventor realized that using different drawstrings on one's hoodie can be an effective method of broadcasting one's mood. The inventor surmises the effect that varying one's hoodie drawstring has on observers is a function of how notoriously tedious it is to thread the drawstring through the hood' cord passageway. As a result, continuously interchanging or swapping out the drawstring of a hood is an effective way of conveying one's changing mood; for instance, one color of drawstring conveys a happy mood, while other colors convey other feelings, including possibly complex feelings that are hard to articulate. Unfortunately, heretofore it would be an unenviable chore to repeatedly interchange the drawstring or cord through any elongated channel of any wearable article (be it an article of clothing or wearable pack), due to the article being made out of fabric or material that has inherent ‘give’ or slack and having intrinsic pliability or stretch.

As can be seen, there is a need for a method of threading an elongated cord through an elongated internal passageway of a wearable article. The method embodied in the present invention includes an elongated threading instrument selectively engageable near or with one end of the drawstring. The instrument has an elongated stem and an arcuate head, wherein the arcuate head engages the leading end of the drawstring threaded, stem-first, through the elongated passageway.

Thereby facilitating the threading process and thus facilitating interchanging drawstrings expeditiously, enabling a wearer to quickly swap out different drawstrings to express themselves differently from time to time.

The present invention allows wearers of hoodies or other wearable articles with elongated internal channels for slidably receiving elongated cords, in effect, the freedom to design their own hoodie, expressing their personal mood several times a week or day. Furthermore, the present invention enables hoodie wears to not have to buy new hoodies when they lose a drawstring as the present invention may be configured as a kit with the threading instrument combined with a plurality of differently colored and/or designed drawstrings that can replace missing drawstrings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a method of threading an elongated cord through an elongated internal passageway of a wearable article, the method includes the following: engaging a threading instrument with a leading end of the elongated cord, wherein the threading instrument has the following: an elongated stem extending between a distal end and a proximal end; the proximal end having an arcuate head, the arcuate head having a discontinuous eyelet defining a slot; the slot and the elongated cord mutually dimensioned so a portion of a length of the elongated cord is prevented from sliding through the slot in an absence of urging; and sliding said portion of the length of the elongated cord through the slot; and the method further includes threading the distal end through a first aperture of the elongated internal passageway, wherein the engagement of the threading instrument with the leading end is form between the discontinuous eyelet and a knot of the leading end, wherein the knot and the discontinuous eyelet are mutually dimensioned in such a way to prevent the knot sliding through an opening defined by the discontinuous eyelet, wherein the elongated internal passageway has a length-to-width ratio of greater than ten.

In another aspect of the present invention, a threading assembly provides the following: an elongated cord having a leading end; an elongated stem extending between a distal end and a proximal end; the proximal end having an arcuate head, the arcuate head having a discontinuous eyelet defining a slot; and the slot and the elongated cord mutually dimensioned so a portion of a length of the elongated cord is prevented from sliding through the slot in an absence of urging, wherein the discontinuous eyelet and a knot of the leading end are engaged, wherein the knot and the discontinuous eyelet are mutually dimensioned in such a way to prevent the knot sliding through an opening defined by the discontinuous eyelet, wherein the elongated cord has a length-to-width ratio of greater than ten.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, a kit for threading one of a plurality of elongated cords through an elongated internal passageway of a wearable article, the kit includes the following: a threading assembly providing the following: an elongated stem extending between a distal end and a proximal end; the proximal end having an arcuate head, the arcuate head having a discontinuous eyelet defining a slot; and the slot and the elongated cord mutually dimensioned so a portion of a length of the elongated cord is prevented from sliding through the slot in an absence of urging; and the plurality of elongated cords, wherein each elongated cord has a design indicium distinguishable from one or more of the plurality of elongated cords, wherein the wearable article is an upper garment, and wherein the elongated internal passageway is along a periphery of a hood of the upper garment.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a threading assembly 10 of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of a threading instrument of the present invention;

FIGS. 4-7 are a series of elevation views of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the threading of a drawstring; and

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of the present invention configured as a kit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a threading instrument for sliding an elongated cord or drawstring through an elongated internal passageway of a wearable article, and a method of using the same. The present invention incorporates the threading instrument in a kit along with a plurality of different design drawstrings(and possibly the wearable article). In the kit, each drawstring is adapted to be threaded through the elongated internal passageway by way of the threading instrument. The kit enables a user to more efficiently than the prior art to interchange the drawstrings through the elongated internal passageway of the wearable article, thereby enabling an expeditious and selectively swap out of the drawstring, whereby they can use the different drawstrings to convey different messages/moods when desired.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 8 , the present invention contemplates a wearable article 11 a adapted to have an elongate internal passageway 11 c. By elongated, it is understood that the passageway has a length greater than its (cross sectional) width (diameter). The ratio of length to width may be greater than two to one and typically is greater than ten to one. The wearable article 11 a may be any type of article of clothing, including but not limited to a hooded upper garment. The elongate internal passageway 11 c may extend along a periphery of an opening of the wearable article 11 a, such as along a face-opening of a hood. At the two opposing ends of the internal passageway 11 c are apertures 11 b communicating with the external environment.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , the present invention includes a threading assembly 10 comprising a cord 12 operatively associated with a threading instrument 12 b. The threading instrument 12 a has an elongated stem 16 having a distal end 26 and a proximal end. The proximal end has an arcuate head 18. By elongated, it is understood that the stem 12 has a length greater than its (cross sectional) width (diameter). The ratio of length to width may be greater than two to one and typically is greater than ten to one. The arcuate head 18 may be a portion of the stem 16 bent or curved to form an eyelet 20 defining a slot 22 communicating with the eyelet 20. The void of the slot 22 provides a discontinuity in the stem/head for sliding an elongated object like the cord 12 therethrough, wherein the slot 22 is dimensioned so that such sliding through requires urging on the part of the user. Thereby, the cord 12, once received in the eyelet, will not slide out through the slot 22 inadvertently.

Critically, the threading instrument 12 b engages a leading end of the cord 12 through the above-mentioned sliding of a portion of the length of the cord 12 therethrough and then sliding the eyelet 20 up to a knot 12 c at the end of the cord 12. The knot 12 c and eyelet 20 are dimensioned and adapted so that the knot 12 c cannot slide through the eyelet 20. This combination and/or arrangement is the threading assembly 10.

Referring to FIGS. 4 through 7 , a user can now take the threading assembly 10, slide its distal end 26 through a desired aperture 11 b of the two apertures 11 b and into the elongated internal passageway 11 c. Thereby facilitating the remaining threading of the threading assembly 10 and thus the cord 12 through the entire elongated internal passageway 11 c as the elongated stem 16 affords a rigid structure the user can feel and securely grasp through the material of the wearable article 10. This process enables the user to urge the distal end 26 along the elongated internal passageway 11 c until it exits the opposing aperture 11 b.

The wearable article 10 may be a hooded sweatshirt having a garment body with sleeves, and a neck opening communicating to a face opening by way of a hood. Again, it being understood that the wearable article 10 could be a lower garment wherein the elongated internal passageway 11 c is along, say, a waist-opening of a waistline. Or the wearable article 10 could be a backpack or the like.

The threading instrument 12 b may be made out of any sufficiently rigid and durable material. The stem 16 may be one or more inches long and have a cross sectional width of one inch or less. The arcuate head 18 may have a cross sectional width of one inch or less. The eyelet 20 may define an opening having a diameter of one inch or less. The slot 22 may be one-quarter of an inch or less and/or complimentary of the width of the cord 12 so as to function as disclosed herein. The elongated internal passageway 11 c may have a length of two or more inches and have a finite cross-sectional width.

The present invention may be configured as a kit 14 comprising a plurality of differently designed cords 14 a, each with different design indicia 14 b, and the threading instrument 12 b.

As used in this application, the term “about” or “approximately” refers to a range of values within plus or minus 10% of the specified number.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of threading an elongated cord through an elongated internal passageway of a wearable article, the method comprising: engaging a threading instrument with a leading end of the elongated cord, wherein the threading instrument comprises: an elongated stem extending between a distal end and a proximal end; the proximal end having an arcuate head, the arcuate head having a discontinuous eyelet defining a slot; the slot and the elongated cord mutually dimensioned so a portion of a length of the elongated cord is prevented from sliding through the slot in an absence of urging; and sliding said portion of the length of the elongated cord through the slot; and threading the distal end through a first aperture of the elongated internal passageway.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the engagement of the threading instrument with the leading end is form between the discontinuous eyelet and a knot of the leading end.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the knot and the discontinuous eyelet are mutually dimensioned in such a way to prevent the knot sliding through an opening defined by the discontinuous eyelet.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the elongated internal passageway has a length-to-width ratio of greater than ten.
 5. A threading assembly comprising: an elongated cord having a leading end; an elongated stem extending between a distal end and a proximal end; the proximal end having an arcuate head, the arcuate head having a discontinuous eyelet defining a slot; and the slot and the elongated cord mutually dimensioned so a portion of a length of the elongated cord is prevented from sliding through the slot in an absence of urging.
 6. The threading assembly of claim 5, wherein the discontinuous eyelet and a knot of the leading end are engaged.
 7. The threading assembly of claim 6, wherein the knot and the discontinuous eyelet are mutually dimensioned in such a way to prevent the knot sliding through an opening defined by the discontinuous eyelet.
 8. The threading assembly of claim 7, wherein the elongated cord has a length-to-width ratio of greater than ten.
 9. A kit for threading one of a plurality of elongated cords through an elongated internal passageway of a wearable article, the kit comprising: a threading assembly comprising: an elongated stem extending between a distal end and a proximal end; the proximal end having an arcuate head, the arcuate head having a discontinuous eyelet defining a slot; and the slot and the elongated cord mutually dimensioned so a portion of a length of the elongated cord is prevented from sliding through the slot in an absence of urging; and the plurality of elongated cords, wherein each elongated cord has a design indicium distinguishable from one or more of the plurality of elongated cords.
 10. The kit of claim 9, wherein the wearable article is an upper garment, and wherein the elongated internal passageway is along a periphery of a hood of the upper garment. 